Bunnings pulls item from shelves over 'mammoth' biosecurity risk
The discovery could pose a huge risk to Australian agriculture and is being investigated by Bunnings and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
Bunnings has pulled an item from its shelves after an eagle-eyed customer reportedly raised the alarm about its risk of potentially introducing invasive insects and pests into Australia.
The potential biosecurity concern was raised after an unsettling detail was noticed on the millet brooms being sold in store, which appeared to contain rice plants imported from China. The customer was a former local rice grower for 20 years and said he was in disbelief when he made the discovery at a store in the NSW Riverina region, the ABC reports.
"I could see these grains in the head of the broom and on closer inspection I nearly fell over because I'm absolutely certain they were rice grains...
"The biosecurity concerns are just mammoth," he said.
The discovery was made in the rice-growing hotspot of Australia, which is an ideal location to grow the grain due to favourable conditions and a lack of disease or pests threatening to the plants.
Bunnings broom find prompts investigation
Bunnings told Yahoo News it takes biosecurity "very seriously" and removed the brooms from sale while it investigates the situation.
It is working along with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) to investigate the issue further, contacting two suppliers of the millet brooms and the quarantine regulator.
"As soon as we became aware of these concerns and out of an abundance of caution, we removed the brooms from sale...
"We strictly follow the biosecurity requirements for all imported products and can confirm the product underwent heat treatments at high temperatures for 24 hours and methyl bromide fumigation to ensure any seed material that may be remaining is unable to germinate," a Bunnings spokesperson said.
It appears the concerned shopper, Keith Rowe, first took to social media to alert authorities last week.
"Supposedly millet, looks like rice to me," he wrote.
"Biosecurity Australia contacted me on Friday, we have provided them with a lot more photos of the brooms instore," he posted in an update on Monday.
Bunnings straw broom made in china , supposedly millet ,looks like rice to me @DAFFgov pic.twitter.com/aRFPD1b88A
— rowey_brolga (@Rowey_brolga) November 26, 2024
It is unclear how many stores around the country stocked the millet brooms and whether rice plants were present.
Yahoo News has also reached out to the DAFF for comment.
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